Double piston fluid motor



May 21, 1935.

` c. E. BANNlsrER DOUBLE PISTON FLUID MOTOR `Original Filed Nay l5, 1931Sheets-Sheet May 21, 1935. c. E. BANNISTER DOUBLE PISTON FLUID MOTOR 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed May' 15,. 1951 Patented May 21, 1935UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application May 15, 1931, Serial No. 537,617Renewed November 17, 1933 10 Claims.

'5 ularly 'adaptable for use in conjunction with the deep Well drillingapparatus illustrated and described in my prior and co-pendingapplication, Ser. No. 271,923, filed April 21, 1928.

The advantages and desirability of a motorV effecting an oscillatingmovement of the cuttingbit, as the machine descends into the bore whichit is forming, are fully set forth in said prior application, andreference thereto is hereby made.

An important object of the present invention is the provision of apoppet valve uid pressure motor which may be freely suspended in a wellbore and operate a cutting bit in an oscillating manner so as to feeditself constantly into the bore being formed. v

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of a poppetvalve motor which is simple and economical to build and assemble, andwhich is positive in operation.

Another object of the invention resides in providing means associatedwith a plurality of re'- ciprocating pistons, to convert thereciprocations of said pistons into oscillations of the bit carryingshaft.

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of means,operable at a predetermined instant, to accelerate travel of saidpistons in one direction.

Other objects and features of the invention reside in the particularconstruction and arrangement of the parts of my novel motor. I

The above and other features and objects of the invention, details ofconstruction, combinations of parts, and advantages, will be hereinaftermore fully pointed out, described and claimed.

Referring to the drawings, illustrating a preferred embodiment ofthevpresent invention,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a well boring machine in which my novelmotor is incorporated, in the process Vof drilling a well bore; 1

Fig.,2 is a longitudinal sectional view of my novel motor;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view on the line 4--4 ofVFig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a cross sectional view on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2;v A

'Fig. 6 is a cross sectional View on the line 5`6 of Fig. 2;

Fig. '7 is a cross sectional view on the line 1--1 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 8 is a cross sectional view on the'line 8 8 of Fig.2.

Referring now to the drawings, for a particular description of theinvention, its construction and operation, I designates a Well bore, inwhich a working barrel comprised of a plurality of sections 2, 2 unitedby suitable joints 3 is suspended by means of flexible cables 4, thesecables being controlled and operated by any usual or suitable surfaceequipment (not shown).

A flexible hose 5 is utilized to convey fluid under pressure from anyusual or suitable pump (not shown) or other source of power aboveground.

In Fig. 1 my novel motor is illustrated gener-V ally at 6, and as moreclearly illustrated in Fig. 2, said motor comprises a cylinder block 1and a sleeve 8, united in any desirable manner as by a locked threadedjoint.

In the cylinder block 1 are formed two cylinders 9 and I0, in which arereciprocating pistons II and I2. Each piston II has depending therefroma hollow piston rod I3 and' I4 respectively, these piston rods beingSlidable and having a bearing in the bottom of the block 1.

Fixed to the block 1 at the top of the cylinder 9 is a plug I5 having aninlet port I6 therethrough, and fixed in the block 1 at the top of thecylinder I is a plug I1 having an inlet port I8 there'- through.Supported at its upper end. in the cylinder block 1 and at its lower endin a plug I 9 fixed in the lower end of the sleeve 8 is a shaft 20, thisshaft 2Il'being provided with a collar 2l resting on an anti-frictionbearing 22 in the plug I9.

A stuffing box 23 is provided surrounding the shaft 20 and fixed in theplug I9. The shaft 20 is provided with a plurality of spiral grooves 24,4and formed on the lower end of each of the piston rods I3 and I4 is alug 25 riding in said grooves. Also formed on the bottom or adjacent tothe lower end of each piston rod I3 and I4 are lugs 26. These lugs 26are adapted to ride in vertical slots 21 formed in a liner 28 which isheld against rotation within the sleeve 8.

Slidable within the piston rod I3 is a. valve stem 29 having a valve 30on its upper end, Vsaid -valve 30 being adapted to seat, atpredetermined intervals, onthe plug I to seal the inlet port I6. A stop3| is xed to the barrel section V2 by rivets 32 or in any other desiredmanner. The vlower end of the valve stem 29 is provided with a cap orVbutton 33, and surrounding the valve stem 29 and resting against saidcap 33is a flanged sleeve 34. A flanged sleeve 35 also surrounds thestem 29 and is Slidable thereon and abuts against the lower end of thepiston rod I3. Surrounding the valve stem 29 and confined between theflanges of the sleeves 34 and 35 is a coiled spring 36.

The cap 33 is in constant engagement with the upper surface of anannular rocker 31, at one side of the pivot points 38, these pivotscomprising screws projecting through the liner 28 and engagingthe'bearing journals 39 of the rocker 31.

In engagement with the upper surface of the rocker 31, at the oppositeside thereof', yis a cap 4) on the lower end of a valve stem 4|, saidvalve stem being provided with sleeves 42 and 43 and a coiled spring 44,similar to the sleeves 34 and 35 and coiled spring 36. At the upper endof the '.alve stem 4I is a valve 45, a stop 46 being provided to limitupward movement of the valve 45, similar to the stop 3|.

Fixed to the valve stem 29, and movable therewith, is a sleeve valve 41,a pin 48 securing said sleeve valve to the stem 29.

Exhaust ports 49 communicate with the upper end of the cylinder 9 andwith vertical fluid conducting passages 50, and exhaust ports 5Icommunicate with the cylinder I 6 and with said vertical passages 50. Asleeve valve 52 is xed to the valve stem 4| by a pin 53, the location ofthis valve 52 on its stem 4| being similar to the location of the valve41 on the stem 29.

The lower end of the shaft 20 carries a bit 54 provided with the cuttingedges 55. f

The vertical fluid conducting passages 50 meet at their lower ends, asat 56, and communicate with the hollow interior 51 of the shaft 20, thecentral bore of the shaft 20 extending completely therethrough andthrough the bit 54, iluid conducted through said passage being utilizedtc cool the bit as well as flush the cuttings out of the bore beingformed.

A series of channels 58 is provided through the lower end of the block 1communicating with the cylinder 9 beneath the piston II and with thehollow interior 59 of the sleeve 8. A series of channels |36 likewisecommunicates with the cylinder` ID beneath'the piston I2 and with thehollow interior 59 of the sleeve 8. A supply of lubricant suflicient tooccupy the space from the bottom of the piston I I .through the cylinder9, channels 58, interior 59, channels 60 and cylinder I0 beneath thepiston I2 is provided. Thus all moving parts from the pistonsdownwardly, are continually bathed in oil, insuring long life to themoving parts and hence to the motor.

The operation of my present novel motor is simple, and will be readilyunderstood by those skilled. in this art, being briey described asfollows:

Fluid under pressure being conveyed through the hose 5, and through thehollow interior 6I, of the barrel sections 2, will enter the inlet portI6, when the motor is in the position illustrated in Fig. 2. 'Ihe sleeve41 closes the outlet ports 49, so that the fluid under pressure willbear against the top of the piston I I, forcing the same downwardly inits cylinder 9, and compressing the spring 36 between the flanges of thesleeves 35 and 34.

This downward movement of the piston II, with its associated lug 25riding in one lof the grooves 24, will effect a rotative movement of theshaft26, and the lug 25 associated with the piston I2, riding in theother groove 24, will cause the piston I2 to rise, the vertical movementof the piston I2 being assisted by the spring 44. As the pistons II andI2 and their rods I3 and I4 are thus reciprocated, the `lugs 25 ridingin the spiral grooves 24 will effect an oscillatory movement of theshaft 20, this movement in turn being transmitted to the bit 54. im thesleeve 35 is moved downwardly by the piston rod I3, it will` compressthe spring 36 until said sleeve comes in contact with the upper end ofthe sleeve 34, forcing said sleeve, and hence the valve stem 29downwardly against the rocker 31. During this movement of the sleeve35', the closed valve 45 is maintained en its seat by the uid pressurein the barrel 2 bearing against its upper surface. By the time thesleeve 35 engages the sleeve 34, the spring 36 will have been compressedpast its central position.

By this time the piston I2 will have risen substantially to the top ofthe cylinder I0, and as the rocker 31, through the positive action abovedescribed, is rocked on its pivots, the valve 45 will be unseated andthe contracted spring 36 will shoot the valve stem 29 downwardly,seating the Valve 30 over the inlet portl I6, preventing the furtheradmission of fluid therethrough, and simultaneously moving the sleevevalve 41 downwardly to open or expose its associated exhaust ports. Asthe valve stem 29 is forced downwardly, the rocker 31 will be pivoted onits pivots 38, as above explained, raising the valve stem 4I and valve45, with a snap action due to the compression of the spring 36, andopening the inlet port I8 to the admission of fluid under pressure,whereupon the cycle just described will be repeated, effecting anoscillatory movement of the shaft 20 in the opposite direction, andhence an opposite oscillation of the bit 54. It will be noted that thearea of the top of the piston I I is greater than the area of the top ofthe valve 45, so that when the piston II has descended to the pointwhere the sleeve 35 has engaged the sleeve 34, the pressure on thepiston II, coupled with the compression of the spring 36, will besufcient to overcome the pressure on the valve 45, breaking the contactbetween said valve and its seat, whereupon the expansion of the spring36 will complete the raising of said Valve 45.

As the piston I2 is rising, and before the valve 45 is opened, iluid inthe cylinder III will be forced therefrom through the discharge ports 5I, whence said fluid will traverse the passages 50 and be forced throughthe port 51 of the shaft 20 and downwardly through the bit 54 into thebottom of the bore being formed.

As the valve stem 29 is snapped downwardly, carrying with it the sleevevalve 41 and thus opening the exhaust ports 49, the valve stem 4I, beingraised by the rocker 31 will carry the sleeve valve 52 upwardly, andclose the exhaust ports 5I.

The operation of my novel motor will continue so long as fluid underpressure is conveyed thereto.

The upper ends of the passages 50 are closed by plugs 62, as clearlyillustrated in Figs. 2 and 3.

The barrel 2, coupled with the block 1, sleeve 3, plug 9, liner 28, andother non-oscillating parts, are of such a mass and weight as topreclude any possibility of the oscillations of the shaft 20 and bit 54being transmitted thereto. Thus I am enabled to utilize the freesuspension illustrated, that is, the cables 4. I

As described in my said prior application, this free suspension, coupledwith an oscillating cutting bit and motor therefor permits the formationof a vertical bore, ahighly desirable and important result which isincapable of achievement with any prior well drilling. deviceorapparatus of which I am aware. i

I believe that the uid pressure motor illustrated and described hereinis novel, and I have therefore claimed the same broadly in the presentapplication.

While I have necessarily described my present invention somewhat indetail, it will be appreciated that I may vary the size, shape andarrangement of parts within reasonably wide limits,

tion.

My invention is further described and defined in the form of claims asfollows: 4

l.I In a fluid pressure motor, a pair of cylinders, a pistonreciprocable in each of said cylinders, a hollow rod depending from eachof said pistons, an inlet port at theyupper end of each of saidcylinders, a valve cooperating with each inlet port, a valve stemdepending from each valve and extending through its respective pistonand piston rod, a rocker, the lower end of each of said valvestems beingin engagement with said rocker,

and means to pivot said rocker to seat one valve-I rocker, the lower endof each of said valve stems and unseat the opposite valve.-

2. In a fluid pressure motor, a pair of cylinders, a piston reciprocablein each of said cylinders, a hollow rod depending from each of saidpistons, an inlet port at the upper end of each of" said cylinders, avalvel cooperating with each inlet port, a' valve stem depending fromeach valve and extending through its respective piston and piston rod, arocken'the lower end of` each of said valve stems being in engagementwith said rocker, Ameans to pivot said rocker to seat one valve andunseat the opposite valve, and resilient means to accelerate themovement of said i valves.

3. In a iiuid pressure motor, a pair `of cylinders, a pistonreciprocable in each .of said cylinders, a hollow rod depending fromeach of said pistons, an inlet port at the upper end of Veach of saidcylinders, a valve cooperating'with each inlet port, a valve stemdepending from each valve and extending through its respective pistonand piston rod, a rocker, the lower end of each of said. valve 'stemsbeingA in engagement with said rocl'rer, means to pivot said rocker ytoseat one valve and unseat theopposite valve, and means to limit themovement of said valves.

4. vIn a fluid pressure motor, a pair of cylinders,

a piston reciprocable in each of said cylinders,

a hollow rod depending from each of said pistons, an inlet port at theupper end of each of said cylinders, a valve cooperating with each inletport, a valve stem depending from each valve and extending through itsrespective piston and piston rod, a rocker, the lower end of each ofsaid valve stems being in engagement with said rocker, means to pivotsaid rocker to seat one valve and unseat the opposite valve, resilientmeans to accelerate the movement of said valves, and means to limit-the-movement ofl said valves.

5. In a fluid pressure motor, a pair of cylinders, a piston reciprocablein each of said cylinders, a hollow rod depending from each of saidpistons,

- an inlet port` at the upper end of each of said means to pivot saidrocker to seat one valve and unseat the opposite valve, and resilientmeans associated with each valvestem and alternately operable toaccelerate the movement lof said l valves. Y

6. -In a iiuid pressure motor, a. pair of cylinders, a pistonreciprocable in each of said cylinders, a hollow rod depending from eachof said pistons,

an inlet port'at the upper end of-each of said cylinders, a valvecooperating with each inlet port,a valve stem ,depending from each valveand extending through its respective piston and l` piston rod, a rocker,the lower end of each of said valve stems being in engagement with saidbeing in engagement with said rocker,- positive means associated witheach valve stem to initiate movement of said rocker, and resilient meansassociated with each valve stem and alternately operable to acceleratemovement of said rocker to seat one valve and unseat the opposite valve.

8. In a uid pressure motor, a pair of cylinders, I

a piston reciprocable in each of said cylinders, a

hollow rod depending from each of said pistons,

an inlet port at the upper end of each of said cylinders,` a valvecooperating with each inlet port, a valve stem depending from each valveand extending through its respective piston and piston rod, a rocker,the lower end of Aeach of said valve stems being in engagement with saidrocker, and means to pivot said rocker to seat one valve and unseat theopposite valve, exhaust ports adjacent to the upper end of eachcylinder, a sleeve valve xed to each of said valve stems and operablethereby to close the exhaust ports of a cylinder when the inlet port tosaid cylinder is open.

9. In a nuid pressure motor, a pairfof cylinders,

a piston reciprocable in each of said cylinders, a hollow rod dependingfrom each of said pis- '-tons, an inlet port at the upper end of each ofsaid cylinders, a vvalve cooperating withv each inlet port, a valve stemdepending from each valve and extending through its respective pistonand piston rod, positive means associated with each valve stem toinitiate movement of the opposite valve, and resilient means associatedwith each valve .stem `and operable to accelerate movement of saidpositive vmeans to unseat said opposite valve.

10. A iiuid pressure motor comprising a shaft formed with at least twocam surfaces of opposite pitch, at least two alternating pistonstructures coacting with said cam surfaces to drive the shaft, a casingin which the shaft is rotatively mounted, -the casing having a pressurefluid chamber for each of the said piston structures, poppet valve seatsin adjacent end walls of the chambers, slide valve ports in thel sidewalls of the chambers adjacent the poppet valve seats,

avalve stem for each chamber slidably extending through the pistonthereof, a poppet valve and a slide valve secured on each of the saidvalve stems, a lever mechanism compelling the valve stems to reciprocateoppositely, contact means on each piston structure and its valve stemfor actuating the other valve stem, and yielding' means interposedoperatively between each piston structure and its valve stem forimpelling the other valve stein beyond its movement compelled bythecontact means.

y CLYDE E. BANNISTER.

